ANALYSIS: Putting children first

WE AT Epic, the only independent organisation in Ireland working on behalf of children in care and those who have left the care system, strongly support the proposed Children First Bill which will place a mandatory obligation on professionals to report any suspected child abuse and welfare concerns.

The legislation will be guided by the revised Children First national guidance for the protection and welfare of children, published in 2011. While there is a clear need to put these guidelines on a statutory footing (due to the lack of the full execution of these guidelines over the past 14 years), the proposed legislation must be carefully drafted to ensure it can be successfully implemented when enacted.

The proposed bill places a responsibility on professionals to report any child abuse or welfare issues that emerge. The Children First guidance highlights that even a “potential risk” to a child should be reported to the HSE child and family support services. This approach allows for earlier detection of child welfare concerns, which has a two-fold benefit.